Railway coupler operating rod mounting arrangement



May 30, 1961 F. H. KAYLER 2,986,283

RAILWAY COUPLER OPERATING ROD MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 15, 19572 Sheets-Sheet l y 0, 1961 F. H. KAYLER 2,986,288

RAILWAY COUPLER OPERATING ROD MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 13, 19572 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uniwd t s P t p .'2,986,288 RAILWAY COUPLER OPERATINGROD I MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, ass ignor toAmerican Steel Foundries, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New Je p i t 7Filed Sept. 13, 1951, ser. No. 683,875 Claims. '(Cl. 213-171) Thisinvention relates to couplers and more particu matic railway carcoupler. p j; The invention comprehends an'improved coupler operatingrod and mounting bracket arrangement for use with a rotary operated typecoupler. I

As is known to those familiar with the coupler art, many of the presentday automatic couplers, such as the AQAQR. Alternate Standard Type Fcoupler, are of the vertically interlocking type whereby if one of apair of mated"couplers is pulled out of or separated from its relatedrailway car, it can be supported by the other coupler sothat it cannotfall onto the track or roadbed and cause a derailment or other seriousaccident.

' Even with couplers having the vertical interlock feature, however, inorder for one coupler to support another, it is essential that thecouplers remain coupled toeach other when a pull out occurs, becausewhen a coupler pulls out or separates from its related car, it tends toexert tension and torsion forces on the operating rod causing the rod torotate and unlock the coupler, thereby resulting in theundesiredseparation or uncoupling of the couplers.

v Additionally, the forces exerted on an operating rod by the pull outof a related coupler tend to deform the fed as well as the bracket whichsupports the handle end of the operating rod from the railway car."Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide, in anautomatic rotary operated railway. car coupler, an operating mechanismadapted to prevent the accidental uncoupling of mated couplers in theevent of a pull out or separation of one of the couplers from itsrelated car. i r '1 Ibis another object of the invention to provide acoupler operating rod mounting arrangement wherein the pull out orseparation of a coupler from a car will not result in the application ofstresses on the operating rod andmounting bracket causing damagethereto. 1' A more specific object of the invention is the provision ofa coupler operating rod and mounting bracket arrangement wherein the endof the rod is readily detachable from the bracket and can freelywithdraw from the bracket in the event a pulling force in an inboarddirection is exerted on the rod.

Another more specific object of the invention is the provision of acoupler operating rod and mounting bracket arrangement wherein theoutboard end of the rod is free to angle within the bracket to preventthe bracket from beingpulled 0d the car or damaged when outside forcesapplied to the operating rod cause it to angle laterally. These andother objects of the invention will be apparent from an examination ofthe following description and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of one end of arailway car to which has been applied a coupler and coupler operatingmechanism embodying features of my invention;

larly to an improved operating mechanism for an arito- Figure 2 is afront elevation view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of a portion of'the structureillustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, but with th'ei,

coupler shown in a pulled out condition; V

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing only the rod andbracket with the rod pulled completely out of the bracket, and 7 Figures6, 7, and 8 are top plan, front elevation, an

" side elevation views, respectively, of an operating rod intentionallyomitted from some views where theyare a modified form of my in believedto be illustrated to better advantage in other:

views. 1

Referring now to the drawings for a better understand-' ing of theinvention, it will be seen that a vertically interlocking couplerindicated generally at 10 having a conventional rotary operated lockingand unlocking mechanism of the type similar to that disclosed inPatent'No. 2,160,419 issued to E. P. Kinne et al. on May 30, 1939; isshown as being pivotally connected by a pin 121to the draft gearmechanism (not shown) of a railway car 14. The structural details of theconnection are not shown inasmuch as they do not form an essentialfeature of this invention.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 2, the rotor 16 of the coupler lockoperating mechanism (not shown) includes an eye portion 18 whichreceives and is engaged by a hook portion 20 formed on the inboard endof a transversely extending operating rod 222.

' The outboard end of the rod 22 is supported for rotative movementwithin a mounting bracket 24 which may be fixed to the end of the carbody in any desired manner, such as by means of nut and bolt assembliesor rivets 26 which connect a base flange 28 of the bracket to a supportplate 30 rigidly secured to the end of the car.-

The bracket 24, in addition to comprising a base flange 28, includes aforwardly extending operating rod receiving socket 32 which is generallyU-shaped as seen from the side and presents an operating rod receivingslot 34 defined by spaced vertically extending front and-rear lugs 36and 38, respectively. As best seen in Figures 1 and 6, the rod socket 32is spaced forwardly from the base flange 28 a suflicient distance toprevent any portion of the rod from contacting the base flange in theevent of angling of the rod. Additionally, the bracket 24 is providedwith a stop flange 40 extending downwardly from the socket 32 andpresenting a forwardly facing preferably crowned vertical abutmentsurface 40a which is disposed forwardly of the rearward portion of thesocket an amount approximately equal to the diameter of the rod or, inother words, is located directly below, and in vertical alignment with,the forward face of an operating rod as it normally lies in the socket.The purpose of this stop flange 40 will be described hereinafter in thespecification.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 6 the inboard or right half of rear lug 38and the outboard or left half of front lug 36 present parallel verticalsurfaces 38r and 36!, respectively, which define the limits of movementof the outboard end of the rod within the slot 34, as the inboard end ofthe operating rod is moved rearwardly towards the car, and which liein-parallel planes extending approximately transversely of the car.Also, the outboard or left half of rear lug 38 and the inboard or righthalf of front lug 36 present surfaces 381 and 36r, respectively, whichdefine the limits of movement of the outboard end of the rod in slot 34,as the inboard end of the rod is moved forwardly away from the car, andwhich 2,986,288 Patented May so test lie in parallel planes disposed atan angle of approximately 39 gelative to the first-mentioned pair ofslot surfaces. The purpose of this angularity will be hereinafterdescribed in the specification.

Still referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the rod 22comprises an elongated center portion 42 with the previously mentionedhook 20 formed on the inboard end thereof and with a generally straighttransversely extending shaft 44 formed on the outboard end thereof. Inits normal position, the rod is mounted with hook 20 disposed to extendthrough the coupler rotor eye 18 and with shaft 44 disposed within theslot 34 of mounting bracket 24. The shaft may be prevented from movingup and out of the slot by means of a filler 70 retained in the slot 34over the shaft by a pin or cotter 72 extending through the lugs 36and38. It is to be understood that the shaft 44 must be long enough toextend outboardly of socket 32 a sulficient distance to accommodatehorizontal angling of the coupler, so that in no operative position ofthe coupler will the rod be pulled out of the socket. I

Additionally, rod 22 comprises a handle portion 46 which includes arelatively short upper element 48 parallel to the shaft 44 and rigidlysecured thereto as by welds 49 at a point inboardly of the mountingbracket 24.

The handle portion 46 also includes a relatively short generallyvertical element 52 integral with the element 48 and having extendingoutboardly therefrom a preferably integrally formed stop element 54which is spaced vertically below the shaft 44. Depending from theoutboard end of stop element 54 is a generally vertically extending handgrip member 56 having an inturned grip or handhold element 58 formed onthe lower extremity thereof. The exact details of the handle portion ofthe rod are not essential to the invention except for the stop element54 which is spaced from and preferably parallel to shaft 44.

Although the force required to move the coupler locking mechanism isgreat enough to prevent the free swinging of the rod handle in a forwarddirection from unlocking the coupler, it is also desirable to preventunnecessary swinging of the handle in the rearward direction, and forthis reason stop flange 40 has been provided.

In order for the stop flange 40 to be effective, however, inaccomplishing its function of preventing free swinging of the operatingrod handle, the surface 400 is crowned so that engagement between it androd stop element 54 is preferably line rather than surface contact, andit is also preferable that the surface be located directly below and invertical alignment with the forward face of the rod shaft 44 as itnormally lies in the socket 32, or in other words, located rearwardlyadjacent the rear surface of the rod stop element 54 as the rod handle46 hangs in its normal position. The location and shape of surface 40aare especially important in the event of a pull out of the coupler fromthe car body, for at that time as the coupler moves forwardly from thecar it carries with it the inboard end of the rod, with the result thatthe rod tends to rotate about a vertical pivotal axis defined by theline of contact between the outboard end of the rod and the bracket stopflange. With the surface 40 being crowned and disposed below the forwardface of the portion of the rod shaft in the socket, the rod is free topivot in a horizontal plane about the above-mentioned vertical pivotalaxis. If, however, as in prior art arrangements, the stop surfacecorresponding in function to surface 40a were located outboardly of thesocket the rod would not be free to pivot about a vertical axis, becausethe rod would be in contact with the bracket at two places, at thesocket and at the stop flange, with the result that a camming actioncould take place between the rod stop element 54 and the stop flangesurface causing the rod to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, asseen from the outboard end, about its generally horizontally extendinglongitudinal axis and thereby unlock the coupler.

Now referring to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that when thecoupler it} is pulled out or separated from the 'car 14, the operatingrod 22 tends to angle with respect to the mounting bracket 24. Asdescribed above, because of the angularity of the bracket slot surfaces,shaft 44 of rod 22 is free to angle forwardly within the slot to alimited degree thus preventing the rod and/or bracket from bending andalso preventing the bracket from being torn from the railway car.

Additionally, as best seen in Figures 2 and 5, if the coupler pulls outor separates from the car causing the rod to angle and move in inboarddirection, shaft portion 44 is entirely free to withdraw from or pullout of the bracket slot 34. This free rod pull out feature also insuresthat no damage will be caused to the rod or to the bracketby reason of aforce being exerted on the rod in an inboard direction by the coupler asit pulls out.

A third important safety feature of the invention is best understood byreference to Figure 2 of the drawings where it will be seen that in theevent of any angular movement of the rod, the stop element 54 of thehandle portion 46 can engage the crowned forward vertical surface 40a ofstop flange 40 on a vertical line and piygit freely about a verticalaxis without any danger of camming action taking place between the rodand bracket which would tend to turn the rod and rotor and unlock thecouplers, causing them to separate and fall onto the track or roadbed.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings, wherein isillustrated a modified form of the invention, will be seen that themounting bracket 24a is similar to that previously described inconnection with the firsts mentioned embodiment except that in additionto having a stop flange 40 with a vertical surface 404, it is providedwith an additional stop flange 41 presenting a transversely extendingvertical surface 41a. The purpose of the additional surface 41a is topermit the use of the bracket with a standard operating rod of the typeused for many years and which has only a vertical handle portion pendingfrom the shaft, without the stop element 54 of my novel operating rod.In the event this type of rod has, to be used, engagement with thesurface 41a and the rear face of the vertical portion of a rod handlewill serve to prevent free swing of the handle.

As best seen in Figure 6, the surface 41a is located rearwardly ofsurface 40a a distance equal to the diameter of the rod, or in otherwords, is'in substantially the same vertical plane as the rear ends ofthe socket slot 34. The reason for this is that in this standard rod thehandle por-- tion is not offset from a shaft, as in the case of my novelrod.

I claim:

1. In an operating rod mounting arrangement for .l railway car having anautomatic coupler, a generally U-shaped mounting bracket secured to oneend of the car inboardly adjacent one side thereof, and an operating rodhaving its inboard end connected to the coupler for operation thereofand having its outboard end supported by said bracket, said outboard endof the rod comprising a generally straight horizontally extending shaftcradled for limited rotative movement in said bracket and an in-v tegralhandle member extending from said shaft at a place inboardly of saidbracket, said handle member comprising a horizontally extending stop barelement spaced from and extending below said shaft and a handheldelement extending from the outboard end of said stop bar element, saidbracket including a rod socket comprising spaced lugs defining ahorizontal slot in which is rotatably received the shaft of said rod,and a vertically extending stop flange depending from and disposeddirectly below said socket for engagement with the stop bar element ofthe rod to limit rotation of the rod in a clockwise direction as seenfrom the outboard end of the rod, the slot of said socket being open atboth ends and being wider at said ends than in the center to accommodateangling movement of the shaft therein fore and aft of the car and topermit free withdrawal of said shaft thereaeeeaea from by movement ofthe shaft forwardly and inboardly of the car during pull out of thecoupler.

2. In a coupler operating rod mounting arrangement for a railway carhaving a coupler, the combination with said car and coupler of: amounting bracket secured to one end of the car inboardly adjacent oneside of the car, said bracket including a pair of upstanding lugs spacedfrom each other to define threebetween a transverse horizontal slot openat its ends and wider at said ends than at its center, and a verticallyextending stop flange disposed directly below said opening; and anoperating rod connected at its inboard end to the coupler, the outboardend of said rod comprising a generally straight horizontal shaftdisposed to extend through the slot of said bracket for limited rotativemovement there in, and an integral handle depending from said shaft,said handle having a vertical portion secured to said shaft at a pointlocated inboardly of the bracket and a horizontal stop element extendingoutboardly from said vertical portion and located below said shaft forengagement with said stop flange to limit rotation of the rod in aclockwise direction as seen from the outboard end of the rod.

3. In a coupler operating rod mounting arrangement for a railway carhaving a coupler, the combination of: a bracket mounted on an end of thecar at one side thereof, said bracket including a socket having ahorizontal opening extending transversely therethrough, and alsoincluding a stop flange presenting a vertical abutment surface locatedbelow and in substantial vertical alignment with the opening of saidsocket; and an operating rod extending generally transversely of the carwith its inboard end connected to the coupler and with its outboard endsupported by the bracket, the outboard end of said rod including agenerally straight shaft extending horizontally through the opening ofsaid rod socket and an integral handle joined to said shaft at a placelocated 1 1 inboardly of the bracket, said handle including a g'enerallyhorizontal portion spaced vertically below said shaft and disposed forengagement with the stopflange of the bracket to limit the rotation ofthe rod in a clockwise direction as seen from the outboard end of therod.

4. A mounting bracket according to claim 3, wherein said stop flangesurface is crowned about a vertical a place located inboardly of saidopening so that the shaft can be freely withdrawn from said opening bythe axial movement of the rod in an inboard direction a predetermineddistance, said handle including a portion disposed for engagement withan abutment surface presented by the bracket located directly below anda vertical alignment with said opening to limit rotation of the rodabout its longitudinal axis in a clockwise direction as seen from theoutboard end of the rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 71,095,222 Murphy May 5, 1914 2,041,807 Bazeley .r. May 26, 19362,500,418 Kinne Mar. 14, 1950 2,735,555 Swann Feb. 21, 1956 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,986,288 May80, 1961 Frank H. Kayler It is hereby certified that error appears inthe above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid LettersPatent. should read as "corrected below Column 5, line 8, for"threebetween" read therebetween column 6, line 24, for "a" read inSigned and sealed this llth'day of November 1961.

(SEA L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer I DAVID L. LADD Commissioner ofPatents USCOMM-DC"

